The 6 Most Underappreciated Active Athletes In Philly

Darius Slay is an Eagles player no more. The team has cut ties with the 6-time Pro-Bowler. He still could come back on a smaller deal, but the Super Bowl is likely the last game he ever played in an Eagles jersey.

His time here does not get the appreciation it deserves. Even at 34, he was still playing as well as any cornerback in the league. But more than just being a very good corner, he became a team leader. Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean both sing his praises for helping them adjust to the pros. And you can't find a teammate who has a negative word to say about him.

Related: Eagles Release Darius Slay, Cutting Ties With 6-Time Pro Bowler

He even took it a step further and embraced the city. He and his wife Jennifer put more work into being part of this community than most players who have moved here. They put that extra work in for fan outreach.

For whatever reason though, there was a section of Philly fans who did not buy in. There were people this season who were still acting like he was not a great player.

Which got me thinking, who are some other underappreciated athletes currently playing in Philly? Guys whose production far outweighs the love they get from fans. In some cases, fans might even put those guys down despite them playing so well.

This is not a list of athletes who are not appreciated by the national media, it is the guys we dont appreciate enough in our own city. Someone like Jalen Hurts would have been eligible for this list even a month ago, but the Super Bowl win at least convinced people in Philly that he is great. The National media still hasn't figured that out.

Here are some quick facts about Aaron Nola

Aaron Nola is one of the best Phillies pitchers ever. Obviously, he can't touch the likes of Steve Carlton or Roy Halladay, but compare him to anyone else from the modern era and he stacks up well. In terms of homegrown pitchers, it's Cole Hamels, and then it's Aaron Nola.

He had some issues in 2021 and 2023 where his ERA ballooned over 4. But in every other year, he has been an ideal 2nd Ace behind Zack Wheeler, and no pitcher can be counted on just to go out there and pitch innings more than him. The guy is always healthy, and even when he struggles, he always battles to make sure the bullpen gets a break.

This season has been a disaster. Every Sixers fan has the right to be frustrated. But we do not appreciate just how great Embiid has been in his time here. While it has not led to rings, he has given us a lot to root for and made Pro Basketball worth watching in Philly for the first time since AI.

Embiid is going to be a Hall of Famer. There is a case to be made he should have won MVP 3 times, and he did win it once. If Jonathan Kurminga hadn't fallen on his knee last season, he would have won a 2nd with how great he looked in the 2023-2024 season. Even with that injury, he battled through it, and put up a great performance vs the Knicks in the playoffs, even if the team overall let the city down.

Embiid is one of the most talented athletes to ever step foot in Philly. Not just for Basketball players, athletes period. The injuries are disappointing, and maybe there is more he could have done. But don't let them drown out just how special he has been. If he retired right now, he would lead all players in NBA history with the most points per minute in his career. And he did that while playing elite defense.

This one is cheating a bit, but let me explain. The people who watch the Flyers love him. But hockey in general is a bit underappreciated by Philadelphia. So maybe some people just don't know yet that we have a special talent brewing in our city.

Michkov just turned 20 back in December. But he is already flashing the talent that has many people dubbing him the most talented Flyers player since Lindros. He has the 2nd most points on the team despite having the 7th most minutes played for skaters. He has looked like a rookie at times, but it is abundantly clear how special this kid is.

Even if you are not a hockey fan, give Michkov a chance to make you one. It has been a while since Philly had a hockey player this special.

This list is going to be Phillies-heavy, but that is because they are the most underappreciated team here. A couple of disappointing finishes in a row have soured people on the team a bit, but this team is still very talented, and Schwarber does not get the appreciation he deserves.

He is one of 6 Phillies hitters to hit 40 HRs in a single season. He is 1 of 5 to do it twice. His 131 Hrs over the last 3 seasons is the 2nd biggest number over any 3 years for a player in Phillies history. Ryan Howard (who if we were doing an all-time list of under-appreciated Phillies athletes would make the list) hit 153 in a 3-year period. Schwarber also just set the record for lead-off Rrs in a season.

But people do appreciate Schwarber's power. The problem is people look at his low BA and think he is less valuable because of that. But he has the 3rd best OBP in that 3-year span too. Harper is 1st, and Brandon Marsh is surprisingly 2nd, albiet in nearly 160 fewer games than Schwarber. He also leads the team in RBIs and Runs since getting here. He has 318 Runs in that time, and only 131 came from HRs, so it seems to be he does a bit more than just hit HRs.

Alvarado can be a bit wild. But no Phillies bullpen pitcher has been more reliable than him. Since figuring out whatever he figured out in 2022, Alvarado has an ERA of 3.16. It took a dive last year amid injuries and family issues, but for the most part, he has been fantastic for them.

He was great for the 2022 run, dominant in the 2023 run, then hit a small snag last season. Suddenly a few fans have no faith in him. But take his overall performance from the past 3 seasons and you will see a guy who is pretty damn good. Is he a closer? Maybe not. But is he a great setup man, with the type of stuff that can get anyone out? Absolutely.